Hand truck



19, 1952 s. s. MILLEN 2,607,606

HAND TRUCK Filed April 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l an 3 ha.

Aug. 19, 1952 2,607,606

HAND TRUCK Filed April 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "w Hummus-B IN V EN TOR.

Fee 73 v \57an/ez 5 Mil/en n i ninv g- 19, 1952 s. s. MILLEN 2,607,606

HAND TRUCK Filed April 9, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet a IgVVENTOR. S/an/ey 5'- MM/en fgwza/wz Patented Aug. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HALND TRUCK. Stanley. s. Millen, Glendale, Calif...

Application April 9; isiagse'riai Nix-19 975 4 Claims. (01. 280- 756).-

The. present invention constitutes: an improvement: upon my previously patented hand. truck, Patent Number 2,096 ,994', dated October-226;; v1937, and: is; adapted for use, in, connection .:With :movingheavy and diflicult to handle objects; such as:

refrigerators, hot -water-..tanks,'water. softeningt nks: washing, machines. stoves,=x.pa-cking. andv shipping cases, and in general, goods of therafoiteei mentioned type which because of-bulk;=weight and contour, is diflicult' to handle; 1 and in, view; there of, the following may be mentioned. ,asxbeingamong theobjectsof theinvention (1)? :To provid'ea new and. improved method. of. shifting. the center. of" gravity 01521116010931 ..with respect to, the .wheels and. axle whereby heavy and bulky: loads may: be handled .with greater ease; than heretofore.-

(2) .Toprovide. new rand: improved .load. sup.-: ports operating between the .axleiandrtruck.ichasr; siswhen-in either. of the functioning: positions of; thexaxleg" ('3), To provide, for; increased. rigidity and strength in the truck when-underload;

(4.) To provide :a hand-truck whiohis inherently balanced when upended and wherein-the: wheels and nose ofthe platform functionally opcrate. to vertically supportv the truck: when up-'- ended, whereby the truck mayxbe =safetly stored in-- this position at a distinct saving over space normally occupiedby-trucks of this general classification. I

(5) To ,providenewand improved. means to: tighten astra-p placed'around a loadtobe trans.-, ported whereby the load cannotshift-with respectto the truck.

(6.) In. general to provide-a new and improved handatru'ckfor moving goodswand- Waresof the:

type aforementioned; and wherein? strength, bal E ance,.flexibility and-easeioioperation are of prime consideration.

Other objects, includingqfeatunesii-of novelty. and. advantage.,.may. be. noted fromcthe fiQCOIIl-rpanying specification and drawing Iii the drawing:

Figure 1' is y a .front .elevationallview showing. the improved. hand truck of this. invention. a

Figure 2 is a side-.elevational. view .of -.th-ev hand truck and,.

Figure .3" is ,likewise a --side-.e1evational View;

however,..in. this view the vwheel s of the truck; are:

porting; a. load imposed thereonz.v

Figure .4' is v a .transverse: sectional. view. taken-.-

Figure 5 isalso; a transverse sectional view-and is substantially. that: taken along line 55, 'rFig-e.

ureil.

Figure 6 a view taken along line 66 Figure 1. Figure-7 is: a .utility view showing the hand truck in. side, elevationwwith .a burdentsecured.

thereon;

Figure 8 is-a side-elevationa'lzview ofathelatchstruction of ,thezlatchr In thezdltWiIlg, the reference. character. l0 indicates the hand truck'of this invention which is shown as beingqfo'rmedwith a frame 12 of' reversely .bent.tubing, the upper parallel first rails 14: of. which are adapted to support a load [6; while the .lowerrparallel" second rails 18 are reversely -bent..to a pointadjacent the axle of the: truck; and are then again. bentto' join the rails 'l4 r'and arewelded thereto at a point in wardly. of; the end of; the: opposite rai1-,: so that:

there .r'emains;a' forwardly extending. remainder rail; portion 314w which :terminates in- .fiush contachwith: theta-e plate 28,:thereby forming frame elements. In: and ;:I2b which are held. in spaced positihmwitlrrespectato .one another by means otethet. transverse: plate 20; ?-22; and 24. Each of theliframe elementszlwaandaflb are fitted with a :rrelativelyrheavy plate .216 -weldedx thereto as shown in: the drawing; the. .upper portion being shaped tmc'onform with; the contour of the loweroi: the. i-plates-v are formed with a rectangular extension :26a: WhiCh' is. welded to the adjacent part of the rail: l4? and to: a transversely disposed platformc28 upon-which the loadiiiis adapted.

to; I'EStFm part: as; shown in Figure. 7.

. The platform 2& isfor-med with an upturned inner. :edgeportion 30: from' which. ears 32 and 34 project, and; whichearsare adapted to journa1 oneend of the .shaft 35 of ro1lers35- and 38v innconjunctionwith the p1ates:-26:1which form the:support.for:the oppositetend of the'shaftst35'. A pairof arms: 40* pivotally positioned upon studs=.4242a which projecting inwardly. from r the;plates 26; have-their opposite ends :welded to,

anaxle 46-upon which the wheels '48- are mount-.-

ed..- A .tub,ular sleeve 49-placed around the axle. between the pointloff connectionv with the arms and the-:hubsofitheiwh-eels 48; provides'a rest for. theaframe ofrthe truck when used with .the'

wheels-infolded-position;

A rock shaft 501s positionedintermediately'ofr the: length qofwthe: arms :40 and is provided with; a Jatch-52 adjacent each of".-the ends: thereof; I

3 while balancing spring 54 attached to each of the studs 42 and 42a, and to an arm 56 extending from one of the latches 52 is adapted to restrict free oscillation of the latch and to effect retention thereof in equalized balance either of the extreme positions of the assembly which is swingable upon the studs 42.

The latches 52 upon the ends thereof are provided withlips 58 and 60, of which,:lips 58 are adapted to slide over bosses G2 projecting inwardly from the inner faces of the plates 26, and to be retained thereon against free outward movement of the wheel assembly, While the lips 60 are adapted to slide over and be retained upon the bosses 64 when the wheel assembly is swung outwardly to fully extended position. A foot actuated trip 66 is fixedly secured to the shaft 59 and is adapted to rock the shaft to effect disengagement of the latch from the bosses 62 or 64 as the case may be, whereby the wheel and its assembly may be readily moved or swung on the studs 42, 42a to and from fully extended position as illustrated in Figure 7.

Bulky items of the character herein before mentioned are difficult to hold upon any hand operated truck, hence resort is constantly made to the useof woven fabric belts as ameans of securing the load in place, however, it is not al- Ways possible to cinch a strap tight enough'to fulfill the requirements imposed upon it, and to this end I have devised a simple and practical method of firmly securing a strap around the load and :to the truck, and which maybe released therefrom with equal facility. 1

Theo-transverse plates 22 and 24 of thefraxmel2 center and support a length of hexagonal stock which extending through the plate 22 is fitted with a ratchet wheel fixedly secured thereto, while the lower. end of the hexagonal stock 10 is threaded and inserted through the plate 24 andthereafter, nuts'lZ are screwedonstock 76 and the ratchet wheel 16. resistant pawl 18 is pivotally positionediin the plate 22 and is adapted to hold 7. the ratchet wheel'lfi against reverse rotation, while a spring 80 placed between the wrench 14 and. theratchet. wheel IE and disposed around the stockf'lll, with one end attached to the wrench and theother end attached to a pin 82 secured to the.

plate 22, serves to return the wrench to a position longitudinally disposed across-the width of l the truck whereby when not in use the wrench is never projecting outwardly from the truck to interfere with the operator thereof or otherwise to cause injury Or damage thereto or to other The upper and lower ends .ofrthe hexagonal stock 10 are propersons, equipment or goods.

wrench counter-clockwise while at the same tim disengaging the pawl 78 from the ratchet wheel 16 so that the central shaft 10 and the fingers 10a and 101) are reversely wound to free the strap or straps 100. In general usage, the straps 100 are usually removed from the fingers 10a and 10bafter being loosened, rather than to be unwound by use of the wrench, as aforementioned. i i

The foregoing description of construction is believed to be replete in sufficient detail to enable those concerned to practice it, and likewise it is believed that functional operation and use of the invention will be readily apparent to those concerned, however before conclusion, it may be pointed out that if the truck is used with the wheels in nested position, the weight of the truck and its load is transferred through the plates 26 to the sleeves 49 and thence directly to the axle 46 and the wheels 48 and when in this position the arms 40 serve only to correctly align and position the axle 46 and wheels 48. thereon, while at the same time, the latches 52 moving with thearms 40 are so positionedthat the lips 58 engage the bosses 62 upon the outer face 6! thereof while a shoulder or rib 58a upon each latch bears against an oppositely disposed face Bla upon said bosses, thereby steadying the Whole of the truck frame with respect to the supporting axle and wheels.

Upon releasing the latches from engagement with the bosses 62 and movement of the arms 40 and the .whole of the wheel assembly to extended position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 or in full elevation in Figure 7, the latches 52'will of course engage the bosses 6 5, the lip overhanging the faces -60a of the bosses 64, whilethe shoulders or ends of the ribs 80b bear against the opposite faces of the bosses 66 thereby steadying the lower ends of the arms it! when the truck is in this-position, the Weight of the truck and its load being referable to the studs 42, 42a, upon which the arms 40 are swingably positioned.)

It is believed that from the preceding description it will be apparent that I have conceived a novel, yet simple, practical andreadily availsome to move by currently available means, and

thus having described my invention in its presently preferred 'form, that which I consider to g be novel-and patentable','is as follows.

vided with spaced, parallel fingers welded therer to and are adapted to engage the strap used to secure. a load upon the truck as shown in Figure 7, thus when the wrench i4 is rotated 'clock-' wise, the fingers 70a and 10b will rotate with the: stock 10 and will wind the holdingstraps load. To release the strap 10c it is only necessary to-reversely move the reversing lev'erof the' wrench as is customary and usual in this type of wrench and to thereafter move the I claim:

1. In a' hand'truck essentially comprising a frame and a pair of wheels for said frame, means to shift the operating position of said wheels whereby the gravitationalcenter of said truck may be altered when in use, said means comprising a pair of arms pivotally attached to said frame for arcuate movement of said wheels and so disposed with respect to one another as to, be'

intersected by said latches in movement with said arms," each of said latches having an engaging lip and shoulder upon each of opposite ends thereof whereby upon movement of said arms and latches to a given pair of said bosses said latches will be engaged and retained by said'given pair of bosses, and'a-manually operated lever on said shaft for rocking said latches from spring pressed engagement with a given pair of said bosses whereby said arms and wheels may be positionally shifted for use.

2. In a hand truck of the character described, a frame having sides formed of closed loops of metal including remainder rail portions extending from one of the ends thereof, a plate fixedly secured to each of the lower inner faces of said frame including said remainder rail portions, an under-carriage for said truck swingable to either of two use positions, said under-carriage comprising a pair of arms pivotally attached to said plates and having an axle shaft fixedly secured to the free ends thereof, and wheels on said axle, latches, lips upon the ends of said latches, a shaft carried by said arms and rigidly secured to said latches adjacent said arms, paired bosses on said plates, said latches being adapted to engage alternate pairs of said bosses in sequence with movement of said arms upon pivotal movement of the said arms and wheels whereby said arms and wheels are retained in pre-determined functional use position, and spring means associated with each of said arms to resist disengagement of said latches and bosses in either of said use positions, said axle in one of the use positions thereof being swingable against the lower edge of said plates whereby a load on the frame of the truck is translated through said plates to said axle and wheels, and a manually controlled lever secured to said shaft adapted to rock said shaft whereby said latches are released from engagement with a pair of said bosses whereby the arms, axle and wheels thereon may be swung to and from either of said use positions.

3. A hand truck formed with a frame comprising a pair of parallel rails each having a looped end and having an end inturned upon itself so as to leave a forwardly extending remainder portion, a face plate welded upon each of the inner sides of said frame including the related remainder rail portion, a toe plate, said toe plate being fixedly positioned upon said face plates and to said frame, a pair of arms, one end of each of said arms being pivoted to a corresponding face plate, an axle shaft securing the free ends of said arms whereby provision is had for load supporting Wheels, each of said face plates bearing directly upon said axle in support of a load thereon, bosses upon each of said face plates, said bosses being grouped in a forward pair and a rearward pair thereof, latching devices, said latching devices being adapted to engage an alternate pair of said pairs of bosses, said latching devices being positioned on and adjacent said arms for movement therewith, a spring carried by each of said arms and connected to a latching device thereon, said spring being arranged for repression of the related latching device during engagement with said bosses, said latches having equally and oppositely disposed lips so positioned thereon as to receive like disposed one of said bosses so as to stabilize the position of said wheels with respect to said frame, and means operably connected with said latching devices and operable to effect latching and unlatching of said swingable arms and wheels whereby the center of gravity of a load upon said truck may be altered.

4. In a hand truck, a frame therefor, said frame including a, pair of side rails, each of said side rails being formed of a single piece of tubing reversely bent upon itself so as to form an upper first rail and a lower second rail in spaced parallel position, said second ral being inturned upon the first rail so as to provide a forwardly extending remainder portion in the first rail, face plates upon said frame, a toe plate upon and connecting said face plates, rollers journalled upon said toe plate, a pair of arms, each arm of said pair being pivoted upon and swingable along the inner face of a corresponding face plate, a shaft secured to the free end of each of said arms, a wheel journalled on each end of said shaft, a pair of spaced bosses on each of the face plates forming movement limits for said arms, a rock shaft having its ends journalled in said arms and having a pair of spring centered latches fixedly secured on said rockshaft for interlocking with a selected pair of said pairs of bosses whereby said arms and wheels may be held in either of their extreme functional use positions, and a manually operable lever on said shaft adapted under manual pressure to rock said shaft and latches whereby a pair of bosses engaged by the latches are released so as to enable said arm and wheels to be swung to and from a selected use position.

STANLEY S. MILLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

